Mars is spinning faster, its days getting shorter — one theory why
They found that Mars’ rotation is accelerating by about 4 milliarcseconds per year — making the length of a Martian day shorter by a fraction of a millisecond per year.
They described the shift in mass as being similar to when an ice skater spins with their arms stretched out, then pulls them in,“What we’re looking for are variations that are just a few tens of centimeters over the course of a Martian year,” said lead author and RISE’s principal investigator Sebastien Le Maistre at the Royal Observatory of Belgium.Scientists used data from NASA’s InSight lander.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Mars days shortening as spin speeds up, NASA's InSight revealsData from NASA's InSight reveals that Mars' rotation is accelerating, causing its days to shorten by a fraction of a millisecond every year. The research also shows that the Red Planet wobbles due to its molten core.
Read more »
NASA finds Mars days shrinking, cites increase in spin speedNASA has discovered that Mars is spinning faster, resulting in a slight decrease in the length of a Martian day. The data was obtained from the Rotation and Interior Structure Experiment (RISE), which uses a radio transponder and antennas to measure Mars' rotation.
Read more »
Mars' days are getting shorter as NASA detects the planet speeding upNASA has found that Mars is spinning faster and faster, resulting in shorter days. The Rotation and Interior Structure Experiment (RISE) instrument on the InSight Mars lander measured the planet's rotation and detected its wobbling caused by the movement of its molten metal core.
Read more »
Astros Questions Answered: Rotation, Lineup, Singleton, Diaz and MoreWhen one goes on vacation, it is expected things will happen in sports, but holy moly, did things ever change when this writer decided to take a trip 'off the grid' last week. In addition to the trade that brought Justin Verlander back to Houston after half a season in... AL Player of the Week, Framber Valdez
Read more »
How small changes to buildings could save millions of birdsIn the U.S., the ubiquity of glass structures and light has created death traps for birds across the country. Conservationists are shining a light on small changes that can have a major, life-saving impact.
Read more »
Yankees can’t overcome Carlos Rodon’s injury as bullpen falters in loss to AstrosThe Yankees’ rotation problem spilled into a bullpen problem, which translated into a problematic loss.
Read more »